Wahoo Trainer Mat: The Exercise & Peloton Bike Mat You Can Trust!

So how does the Wahoo Kickr mat stack up on the spin bike mat league table?

To proceed with your training uninterrupted, it’s best to place an exercise floor mat under your trainer. There are thousands of trainer mats out there. All of which seem to do their job of being a mat. However, few check the key boxes of durability, aesthetics and performance all at once.

So, what are the best Wahoo Trainer Mat Alternatives Available?

After several hours of research, we came to the realization that the Wahoo Trainer Mat is the best exercise mat. In fact, many Peloton users vouch for this mat.

However, the Powr Labs Exercise Bike Mat came in as a perfect alternative to the Wahoo mat if versatility is something you idealize. Probably the best exercise mat on the market today.

Again if you want budget-friendly and simple indoor cycling mat. Something good enough to keep your bike in good shape, the Sunny Health & Fitness Exercise Equipment Mat 

 will be your best choice.

Notwithstanding, scouting around several options, the Wahoo Kickr multipurpose floor mat stood out along with a few others. In this article, aside from the obvious sweat absorption, we’ll dissect The Wahoo kickr multipurpose trainer mat on all fronts. 

We want to find out about it’s value proposition-how does it look?

• How does it feel?
• How durable is it?
• How does it smell?
• What is it made of?
• How is it packaged?
• How do you set it up?
• Is it worth the money?
• Does it really dampen noise?

And so much more.

The “Wahoo Kickr mat” Company Overview

For starters, the Wahoo brand came from a place of need. It all started in 2010 when it’s CEO and founder, Chip Hawkins, wanted to use his phone as a cycling computer. Unfortunately, at the time, this was not possible. The myriad of distance, heart rate, pace, vitals and speed sensors available used ANT+ technology which was not compatible with phones. 

Hawkins, being an engineer, decided to create a compatible line of sensors. Since then the company has enjoyed huge success in it’s line of products. These include; dual-band ANT+, bike trainers, cycling computers, heart rate monitors and Bluetooth sensors, that are all compatible with smartphones. Some specific Wahoo flagship products include:

Heart monitors 

• Tickr 
• Tickr fit 
• Tickr x 

Cycling computers 

• Elemnt
• Elemnt mini 
• Elemnt bolt 
• Elemnt rear

Sensors 

• Speed and cadence sensors 

Bike trainers 

• Kickr 
• Kickr bike 
• Kickr core 
• Kickr snap 
• Kickr climb 
• Kickr headwind 

Wahoo has since acquired Speedplay( a high-performance pedal manufacturer) and Sufferfest( a personalized training app)

Wahoo KICKR Multi-Purpose Floor Mat Review

Let’s face it, sweating is the golden stamp for cardio. It signals that your body is out of it’s comfort zone. Speaking of comfort, it’s important that you feel free to sweat all you can while training. This means not having to worry about sweat damaging your floor. 

Okay, let’s say you decide to have by your side a couple microfiber towels. How many times can you realistically afford to pause your training to wipe off sweat? I don’t know if it’s just me, but, once I pick momentum on my trainer, I don’t ever feel like stopping. And if i do, the rest of the session kind of feels subpar. 

Special features of the Wahoo trainer mat

• Aesthetics 

The mat comes rolled up in a typical boxy package. Unboxing is easy. Simply snip off the sealing tape to open one side of the box. Upon removal, the mat is in a cylindrical shape. Once rolled out, it’s written Wahoo(in lowercase) on one end of its length and KICKR(uppercase) on the other end of its width.

It’s simple and clean. To be quite honest, the mat would make for some nice Instagram shots, lol. I mean, it says “Kickr” on it. The underside is plain and soft. It only comes in black. But hey, black goes with anything. 

• Grip 

Grip simply refers to the level of friction between two surfaces. The more the number of unique contact points between two objects, the higher the grip. The Wahoo trainer mat has both it’s surfaces dominated by thousands of tiny crests. 

When laid on the flow, the spaces in-between these patterns produce a micro-suction effect, thus grip. The same applies with the upper side where the trainer is placed. In addition, the mat is made of a 6mm-thick PVC foam sheet.  

For reference that’s about the thickness of six pennies stacked up. This thickness is crucial in allowing some degree of sinking when pressure is applied on it-in this case, the weight of the trainer+rider. This in turn creates stability.

 Note that it’s necessary that your trainer doesn’t rock from side to side. This gives you the peace of mind to go hard during your training sessions.

• Safety 

The frequency of people tripping over mats is probably more than you think. According to this research, over 800,000 people suffer injury from slipping and falling every year. Some of which are mat-related. The major cause of these accidents has to do with the leveling of a mat. An exercise mat should lay flat on all edges. The Wahoo kickr trainer mat features a bevel edge. 

This ensures that the mat stays in line with your floor. Thus, improving safety. Another benefit of this feature is the reduction increases. When a man doesn’t fully lay flat, it’s prone to bending on specific spots. Over time, this can lead to tearing or the formation of permanent lines at least. 

It’s not unusual formats to not lay flat. This is attributed to the necessity of rolling the mat for ease of packaging and transportation. The duration within which a mat stays rolled makes it quite difficult for it to stay flat upon unboxing. The Wahoo kickr mat is no exception. Some users have reported this problem on their orders. 

One trick to curb this problem is to use a hairdryer:

How to flatten your PVC exercise mat using a hairdryer

• Turn on your( or your wife’s) hairdryer to the maximum heat and speed setting.
•  Blow warm air all over the mat. Do this laterally along the width. 
• Start from one end and slowly advance in straight lines to the other end. 
• You can repeat this along the edges that don’t seem to lay flat. 

This works because PVC foam( used in making most exercise mats) expands with an increase in temperature. This helps to even out the surface. You can thank me later!

• Noise insulation 

As already mentioned, the Wahoo kickr mat is made of a 6mm sheet of PVC foam. This material is significantly less denser than any floor-wood, ceramic or cement. Sound travels slower in less dense materials( this is why sound travels fastest in solids and slowest in gases). 

Sound( and vibration) is produced when you make any kind of motion on your trainer. The Wahoo kickr mat absorbs these noises before getting to the floor. While you should not expect a drastic reduction in sound levels when using the mat, there is a significant reduction in vibrations. 

Your beloved family is going to thank you during those early morning and late evening rides. Note that the level of noise absorption by a mat also depends on the shape, type of wall and dimensions of your training space. The closer the walls, the lesser the dampening effect you are likely to get from a mat. 

• Water and sweat resistance 

The PVC material used in making the Wahoo trainer mat is water-resistant. It features a sealed membrane on the surface, free of air spaces. This prevents water( from water bottle spillage) and sweat( well, from you know who), from sipping in. 

This comes with a number of benefits. First, it will adequately collect your sweat. Second, it prevents the mat from stinking. Third, it makes it easy to clean (by simply wiping off the sweat using a piece of cloth). Lastly, it offers excellent floor protection against these liquids. 

• Customer support 

The Wahoo brand has a good reputation for attending to clients. And by the way, this should be the case with any other company you buy stuff from. It’s the least they can do for you.  By customer support I mean that the brand should fix any issues you have with their products.

All Wahoo kickr trainer mats offer a free return policy on faulty products. There’s also a provision for refunds along with a 1-year limited warranty. 

• Durability 

I’d like to assume that you prefer high quality products like I do. The Wahoo kickr trainer mat is made of PVC.  The material by itself is not a determining factor for durability. Other factors such as the manufacturing process, thickness and build quality also come into play. 

The mat is made of 6p-free PVC. 6p refers to a family of chemicals called phthalates used in the softening of plastic and vinyl. This is the highest quality of PVC in floor mats. This translates to long service life. This is also why it does not have that plastic smell that we all dislike in new floor mats. 

At 6mm, the mat comfortably accommodates the weight of the trainer+rider without puncturing. Once you hop on your trainer, you’ll notice that the mat sinks. However. Once you alight, the mat returns to its original shape without any permanent deformations. 

With all the bells and whistles, the Wahoo kickr is a floor mat at the end of the day-Translation: there are no words to really quantify build quality( no stitching, Bluetooth connectivity, etc.) However, the thing weighs 7.4 pounds(shipping weight). I have not also found any blemishes on the surface. So I guess I can say that it’s well made.

• Size 

The Wahoo kickr trainer mat measures 36”*78”. This is sufficient to completely fit under most trainers. It’s also one of the largest trainer mats on the market. This is useful in offering maximum floor protection. It also creates a wide base to collect sweat. In the exercise mats world, bigger is better!

PS: The mat is thick and sturdy. Some people may need help to roll it up.

• Customer reviews

The customer is the boss. You are paying a premium( by most standards) for this mat. So it better be good. I scoured the internet and found that most customer reviews seemed rather positive. Check out what some users have to say:

 Drawbacks of The Wahoo kickr trainer mat

• Price 

The mat is sold for $70 without shipping fees. For some people, this is a high price to pay for a trainer mat. 

• Thickness 

A 6mm, dense PVC sheet, like the one used in making this mat, can be difficult to roll up without help. 

Wahoo Kickr Mat Buyers Guide: Things to consider before buying an Exercise Bike Mat

Exercise bike mats help protect floors, contain sweat and provide traction for maximum power on exercise bikes. With an overwhelming number of mat vendors online, it may be challenging to decide on one final model.

Fortunately, we are here to provide you with information that will lead you to the best exercise bike mat for your context. Consider the following factors before investing your hard-earned money in an exercise bike mat:

• Price

As with anything, you get what you pay for. The same applies to an exercise bike mat. The type of material, thickness and build quality influence the cost of a mat. I’d recommend a cheap trainer mat if your intentions of use are temporary. However, if you wish to make a one-time purchase, a premium mat will do. 

• Material

The type of material used in making an exercise bike mat dictates its qualities-durability, ease of maintenance, appearance and performance. Mats can be made of rubber, leather, or PVC foam. Rubber is rare and prone to aging. Leather is expensive and has poor thermal performance. Therefore, I’d recommend PVC foam for a high-quality mat.  

Vinyl coating on either is an added advantage in terms of looks. This is attributed to the fact that it’s easy to color vinyl. 

• Dimensions

The principal purpose of an exercise bike mat is to provide sufficient coverage around your trainer. This ensures proper sweat absorption. There is no right size for a mat since exercise bikes have different dimensions. 

However, I’d recommend that you shoot for at least a half-a-foot to a foot allowance all-around your trainer bike. The thickness is also very important. Remember that your mat is meant to take a beating every day. 

As a rule of thumb, always go for thick mats. This is especially true if you are big( in terms of weight), have children/pets or using heavy training equipment. A thick mat will also last longer if you are using cleats. I’d recommend anything from 5-9mm. 

On the other side, a mat doesn’t need to be all that thick. This may make it quite difficult to roll it up or resolve creases.

• Grip

An exercise mat is supposed to improve your traction on a bike. A mat should have some form of anti-slip technology to ensure maximum performance and safety. This is mostly in the form of crest patterns. This is a very important aspect of a mat and you should confirm that it’s included in the mat you want. 

Wahoo Kickr trainer Floor mat Alternatives

The human race loves variety. Therefore, in case the Wahoo mat is not your cup of tea, we have the following 3 equally great alternatives:

1. CyclingDeal Bicycle Workout Mat for Indoor Cycle

The Cyclingdeal mat measures 3ft*7ft. This makes it ideal for most indoor trainer bikes. It has excellent non-slip technology for safer workouts. Since it’s made of PVC, it’s durable and water/sweat resistant.

At 3mm, it’s thick enough for medium to light trainers. However, if you are a heavy individual or are using heavy equipment, this mat may not suit you. It only comes in one size and color(black). 

Key features at a glance 

• Durable 
• Great price
• Waterproof 
• Non-slippery 
• Great build quality 

It’s best for stationary bikes, indoor trainers, spin bikes and treadmills. It comes with a 2-year warranty. The mat costs more than the Wahoo kickr trainer mat. 

2. Sunny Health & Fitness Exercise Equipment Mat 

The Sunny Health mat is a great alternative to the Wahoo mat. It’s still made of PVC foam. It’s also waterproof and offers great traction. Coming from a company with over 18 years of experience in this space, it sports a great build quality and aesthetics. 

It comes in a variety of sizes:small(4ft*2ft*4mm), medium(6.5ft*3ft*4.2mm) and large(7.5ft*3.3ft*6mm). It starts at $24.99 and comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

Key features at a glance 

• Large 
• Waterproof
• Made of PVC 
• Easy to clean 
• Easy to roll up and store 

The mat is ideal for people who use indoor trainers and spin bikes. 

3. Saris CycleOps Training Mat for Indoor Bike Trainers

The Saris Cycleops mat closely resembles the Wahoo trainer mat. It measures 38.5”*78”. It’s slightly thinner than the Wahoo mat at 5.2mm. However, it offers excellent traction and stability.

It’s made of high-quality microfiber foam. Pricewise, it costs $79.99, which is a bit more expensive than the Wahoo trainer mat. Overall it looks great with a Saris logo on one side. The PVC material used is durable, water-resistant and has no odor. 

Key features at a glance

• Durable 
• Waterproof 
• Excellent grip 
• 2-year warranty 
• Made of micro-PVC foam

This mat is specifically designed for indoor trainers. 

Final Thoughts

Exercise bike mats protect our floors from damage by heavy equipment. They also collect sweat and supply the much-needed grip for optimal cycling. Exercise bike mats are set to take a beating. This is why they should be made of high quality, durable materials like PVC foam. 

With many confusing options, you need to consider your budget, build quality and customer support when shopping for the ideal exercise bike mat. Remember our little secret( using a hairdryer) to help you flatten your mat quickly after unboxing. 

Regularly clean and dry your mat with soap(all-purpose cleaner) and water. Thanks for reading to the end. If you like our work, feel free to check out our other great fitness content on fitness on the site. Cheers!

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